Yeah, I always listen to music while I write. Well, not always but a lot of the time. I mostly listen to Linkin Park, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Seether, 30 Seconds to Mars, Avril Lavigne (old look, not new look), Paramore, Flyleaf, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Lifehouse, AFI, All American Rejects, Papa Roach, KoRn, I could go on forever most likely if you kept me going so I'm going to shut up now.

If I don't listen to music while I'm working I get really jittery and hyper. I need to move. I can't while I write otherwise I'll usually lose the idea. Well, for like a chapter or a stand-alone. Not a whole story lol. Can you imagine that? Sheesh, I'd be on the computer for MONTHS! Haha, I don't think my dad would like that. He doesn't like it when I go on for an hour. =P So yeah, I listen to music when I write. Not reading though. If I listen to music while I read, I pay attention to the music, not the words...all right SOMETIMES while I read.

I spend maybe too much time listening to music. Recently, I've been rocking the new Roots album. But right now, I am listening to Sonic Youth. I listen to a lot of music, to the point where one could pigeonhole me as hipster, dork or snob. More often than not, though, I'll be listening to Isaac Hayes, Funkadelic or something completely ludicrous like Fantomas. I don't however, see what the big deal is about The Arcade Fire.

Well, I draw all (or most, anyway) of my inspiration from music (and movies, occasionally). For the most part, I enjoy slow paced songs with a twinge of sadness/tragedy to it... songs that are a bit emotional and ethereal feeling. Adding on, I also get ideas when I listen to electronica, techno, etc.

However, I find that I can’t delve into English lyrics, so most of my music is in Japanese… I love getting lost in translation, and besides, it helps my mind wonder and allows my ideas to grow.

I can’t give specific songs at the moment, but artists that I turn to for inspiration are Utada Hikaru (especially from her First Love and Ultra Blue era), Luna Sea, Ayumi Hamasaki, and The Brilliant Green. I said that I don’t find inspiration from music in English; however, Dido hasn’t failed me yet, along with Matchbox 20, The Killers, The Cure, and Siouxie and the Banshees. Of course, I have a bunch of miscellaneous music, as well—I find LOTS of inspiration from anything that has a violin(s) and/or a piano. C:

When I write I need music that is very deep and "wordy". U2 usually works for this. Unfortunately I really am not a fan of their music, does that make any sense? It puts me in a creative mood, though. So does counting crows. Hard rock just doesn't do it for me, too overstimulating. I'm surprised so many of you all get inspiration that way.

ps. Have any of you heard of this style of music that matches the beats to your own brainwaves? My english teacher used to play it during tests, I forget the name, but I guess that kind would help too wouldn't it?

I love Meatloaf, and I'm not afraid to say it. He is definitely a "guilty pleasure" kind of singer, because the lyrics and mood are so dramatic and over-the-top, but for writers I suppose it's just more inspiration.

I pretty much always listen to music when I write and read. Usually anything by the Clash or related to the Clash. Like other bands containing members of the Clash. i.e., Big Audio Dynamite, Carbon Silicon, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, Havana 3am, and The Good, the Bad, and the Queen.

Other than that, BUDDY HOLLY (who has nothing to do with Weezer), the Adverts, the Ramones, the Toasters, Dion and the Belmonts, France Gall, and the Everly Brothers.

I don't like to listen to music when I write. I become so focused on the music that I have difficulty thinking about whatever I'm writing. Also, I find it difficult to find music thata matches what I'm writing.

There are exceptions, of course. Sometimes a single song will inspire me, but even then I'll stop the song and just write. Otherwise I pay too much attention to the song and don't write at all.

^^I love listening to those artists too. Depending on my mood, I listen to almost anything except for country (The only time I would subject myself to that type of inhumane torture is if I'm on my death bed with a deadly illness and the only cure is horrible country music. Never gonna happen.)...that and folk (I won't even go there...).

I can't read or write without music. When I'm reading anything can be playing. So long as there's background noise I'm content. For writing I prefer songs that go along with the stories and poems that I write, so I can kind of use the songs to fuel my muse if I start to run out of steam. My personal favorite bands are...

I tend to listen to music that matches the mood I'm trying to get accross in my writing.

Yeah, I'm the same way. If it's an angry scene, or a fight scene, I'll put on either "Hybrid Theory" or "Meteora" by Linkin Park. If it's an epic scene, very suspenseful, I'll put on the soundtrack to The Incredibles. (Yes, I'm being serious. Listen to it, you'll understand.) If it's a (gasp!) romantic scene, which fortunately doesn't occur often in my stories... I'll put on whatever sounds right.